Kat Little
About Me
My name is Katlen Little, but you can call me Kat. My pronouns are She/They. I come from a small town that is located on the complete opposite side of Norfolk, VA, almost 6 hours away. After graduating high school I decided I wanted to learn from a wider range of individuals (not close minded people) so I decided to move far away while also staying in Virginia, which is how I ended up at Old Dominion university. Where I am pursuing a major in Game Studies with a focus on design and minors in Studio Arts and Women's Studies. I am on track to graduate in the spring of 2025 and plan to continue my education in graduate school, where I aim to study the intersection between queer studies and video game education. My research interests center on this unique interdisciplinary field, which aligns with my passions and prior scholarly work. Throughout my academic career, I have completed several internships and participated in various programs, each offering me diverse experiences and perspectives. I have extensive experience with tools such as Maya/Mudbox, Blender, Unity, GitHub, and the Adobe Creative Cloud. My long-term goal is to pursue a career in academia and become a professor in game design, with a focus on critical analysis and queer studies
Internship Overview
I was one of the 12 students selected for the Future Information Professionals Internship at Old Dominion University, an opportunity that offered an exploration of library studies for undergraduates. In the fall semester, I explored a career in library and information studies by visiting local libraries, attending informational sessions, and participating in ePortfolio and resume workshops. I also received guidance from a graduate student coach. During the spring semester, each intern is able to start work at a library they choose and work 8-10 hours per week, assisting with daily tasks as well as completing a self-chosen impact project. I also had the chance to attend the LibLearnX conference in Baltimore, MD, which enhanced my understanding of the field and expanded my network.
How does this internship apply to my academic journey in game design?
In general, library studies and game design appears to have no correlation, but in actuality both intersect through the shared focus on information organization, research, and user experience. Library studies provide expertise in managing and curating information, which is valuable in creating well-structured games and narratives. Additionally, critical analysis and evaluation skills honed in library studies can enhance the depth and quality of game design, leading to richer, more engaging experiences for players.
Therefore, a background in library studies has greatly complemented my focus on game design by providing me with strong research and resource management skills, which I can apply to game development for gathering diverse perspectives and conducting thorough research, particularly in my interests in queer studies and video game education. My work in this internship, specifically in critical analysis has helped me evaluate narrative and design elements effectively. Moreover, my interdisciplinary approach enables innovative, thoughtful, and inclusive game design. This blend of fields supports my goal of a career in academia, where I can teach and advocate for more diverse narratives in game design.
LibLearnX Conference
The Elise N. Hofheimer Art Library
The Elise N. Hofheimer Art Library, founded in 1963, is one of the ODU Libraries branches located in the Barry Arts Building on the ODU Campus. The library offers a wide range of physical and online resources covering various different art topics.
My responsibilities while working at the Hofheimer include mending the welcome desk, offering assistance with library information and technical support. Which includes answering research questions, locating books, and operating the library catalog system ALMA. I also handled inquiries about library and university services via phone. I also helped decorate for holidays and special events, organizing book displays, as well as shelf read and relabeled books. However most of my hours was spent on the two impact projects we created for the internship.
Work In action
Pictured is some examples of tasks I previously mentioned:
First Impact Project
The goal of this project is to help develop our skills in library services such as: Finding books that are relevant to our theme, scanning them for display usage, create TV displays and physical signage that is cohesive in design, equally divide work between each intern, learn to create a bibliography which enhances citation skills.
Using Monarch OneSearch and ALMA we identified and selected new books within the art library’s collection to create a Women in Art book display for Women’s History month. After selecting the books we created a bibliography, psychical signage, television display, and sharable origami hearts.
Second Impact Project
For the second impact project, we redesigned the Hofheimer Art Library zine, refreshing the content to align with updated systems and adding new features such as a larger, more readable QR code. Additionally, we enhanced the zine by incorporating a fold-out poster on the back, providing students with a decorative element.
Our design process involved creating a mood board to establish the desired visuals and aesthetics for the new version. After completing the zine, we decided to create a New Release display featuring artists highlighted in the poster as well as a focus on Pop Art in general. This display also includes Hofheimer's signature Andy Warhol figure.
This internship had a profound impact on me, for one, opening my eyes to the world of library studies as a potential career path. Although I loved libraries as a child, I had never considered them as a professional option until this program. It changed my perspective both academically and career-wise, offering me a professionally structured experience that was truly transformative.
Not only did I gain valuable hands-on experience as a library student assistant, but I also found the program to be creatively stimulating, encouraging me to express and assert my ideas confidently. I formed strong relationships with fellow interns, which I hope to maintain even after the program ends. Overall, my time as a Future Information Professionals Intern provided me with invaluable knowledge and opportunities that I will carry with me into the future.